COOKBOOKS WITH PANACHE Essence of Chocolate
By John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg
Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker founders John Scharffenberger and Robert
Steinberg share their passion for everything chocolate in Essence
of Chocolate (Hyperion, 2006, $35). Interspersed with engaging pieces
of chocolate lore are recipes from top chefs, including Thomas Keller
and Jacques Pépin.
FUDGY BROWNIES
Makes sixteen 2-inch brownies.
INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter,
cut into cubes, plus more for the pan
8 ounces 70% bittersweet chocolate,
coarsely chopped
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup toasted walnut halves
Robert developed this
recipe, but when the brownies came out of our test kitchen oven, they
didn't
have their usual glossy, crackled top and fudgy texture. The cookbook
crew asked Robert to make the brownies while they watched. We realized
that an electric mixer doesn't work for this recipe. The batter
must be beaten by hand until it pulls from the sides of the bowl. This
sounds like a task but it's not; there's something homey
and satisfying about stirring this thick, glossy batter yourself.
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven
and preheat the oven to 325°F. Cut an 8 by 16-inch piece of parchment
paper. Lightly butter an 8 by 8 by 2-inch pan and line it with the parchment,
allowing it to extend evenly over the opposite sides. Butter the parchment
including the paper on the sides of the pan.
Place the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl set over a pot
of gently simmering water and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.
Remove from the heat.
With a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon, beat the the sugar and salt
into the chocolate mixture. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the flour
and mix vigorously until the batter is very glossy and pulls away from
the sides of the bowl.
Break the nuts into large pieces over the butter and fold them in.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap the pan bottom on the countertop
to level the batter. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted
in the center comes out moist but clean.
Let cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Remove the brownies
from the pan using the parchment “handles”, and cool completely
on the rack before cutting into 2-inch squares.
